Into His Arms
by vaughn's-Hockey-girl
Summary: Sark was his own superior now, he took orders from himself, and most of his orders revolved around Sydney. season 3 SV eventually
1. Crashing

**Disclaimer:** yeah, I like many others here, own nothing...if I did Vaughn and I would be at the rink right now...I mean er..  
  
**Into His Arms:** Chapter 1  
  
As Sark hung up the phone he began to feel happier then he had in weeks. The mission he had so painstakingly outlined had been a success. His operative had just called to inform him that they had Sydney Bristow.  
  
From the moment Sark had heard of her he had been intrigued, from the moment he saw her, he had been hooked. Sydney had become an obsession to him. Usually he had to play by the terms of his superiors when it came to Sydney, but not now. Usually he needed a reason to go after her, but not anymore. Sark was his own superior now, he took orders from himself, and most of his orders revolved around Sydney.  
  
O O O O O O O2 hours earlier O O O O O O O  
  
Sydney had had a rough day, but she was used to them by now. It was more like she had had a rough life. More then often Sydney would find herself wanting an out of her hell-of-a-life.  
And this is just what she was thinking about while driving home. She thought about the man she loved and of how he had moved on, she thought of the life she had before she had "died" and how it all shattered, but above all else she thought of Vaughn. Not about him betraying her or giving up on her, but of what they had. She found often enough that if she kept this idea at the front of her thoughts and drowned herself in enough alcohol it would come back to her, that he would come back to her and it would all be perfect again.  
Maybe if she hadn't been so deep in thought she would have noticed the car that had been following her since she had left the office. She had no time to react when the bullet tore through her back windshield. She shouted a few well-chose obscenities and swerved quickly to the right. Her car began to spin unceremoniously, and her head made harsh contact with her steering wheel rendering her unconscious and oblivious to the fact that her car was streaking towards a ditch.  
  
Sark's operative looked down into the ditch and onto an unconscious Sydney and dialed his superior.  
  
"Boss, I have the package."  
  
Sark, on the other line, says nothing. It's only after he hangs up that he says, "Good. I've been meaning to have a little one-on-one with you Sydney..."  
  
Author's note(s):  
-- This is my first fic on fanfiction.net and I would really appreciate some reviews. Criticism is welcome!

--I realize this chapter is quite short, but i wanted to make sure i got down how to get everything uploaded and all! more to come later!

Thanks!


	2. Falling

Disclaimer: I still own nothing sigh Into His Arms: Chapter 2  
  
Sark found it harder and harder to concentrate knowing that Sydney would soon be under his control. He methodically went over the plans he had formed in his head trying to recognize any flaws, but he couldn't find one. He contently sat in his new office. He like it much better then any of his previous accommodations. This office was dark and mysterious, and it seemed to reflect everything that was Sark. Of course Sark hadn't analyzed the depths of his new office, he just enjoyed the change.  
  
He wasn't meant to wait long, within the next hour Sydney was brought to Sark's headquarters, and soon after, to his office. What Sark saw pleased him immensely; Sydney was unconscious and looked somewhat battered. He was unsure of whether the injuries were a souvenir from the crash or were caused by her abduction, but either way he was delighted.  
  
It was a rarity to see her in such condition. He was so used to seeing her in such a perfect state, and it had always angered him. He was more familiar with the way she would sneer at him, or calmly shoot back with an insult or witty remark after he said anything. But he was becoming rather fond of the weaker Sydney, who would soon be his to torment. He couldn't wait to walk into her holding cell and see her face contort with fear when she realized no one was coming to save her.  
  
"Sir? Sir?" the guard that accompanied Sydney had been trying to get his attention while he had started to daydream, for how long he was unsure.  
  
"Yes?" Sark replied feigning the idea that he had just chosen to respond now instead of earlier.  
  
"What should I do with her Sir?" the guard stumbled across the words as if he felt bad for the girl before him.  
  
Sark looked directly at Sydney then to the guard and said, "Tie her to a chair in the waiting cell, and call me when she wakes up. We have much to talk about."  
  
Sark turned away before he even heard the guard acknowledge his request. He walked over to his desk and sat down. All he could think about was how much he hated Sydney. He hated her for being able to do everything he couldn't do, but mostly because she could still feel. She could still love and she could still have emotion.  
  
He hated that her job hadn't done to her what his had done to him. His work made him detached and deadened; he didn't care about anything or anyone other then his mission and its success.  
  
It was when he realized this that he decided all he wanted to do was to break Sydney Bristow. To break everything he couldn't be and everything he never had the chance to be. She was the perfect target: she epitomized everything he wanted, everything he needed. He needed to see that the fire in her eyes was extinguished, and he needed to be the one to do it. A guard walked into his office and broke him yet again from his thoughts.  
  
"Yes?" Sark asked, "Is she awake yet?"  
  
"Yes sir, she awoke just a moment ago." The guard replied and then turned to leave.  
  
"Excellent, let the fun begin." With this remark, Sark stood up from his chair and began to leave his office.  
  
Sark walked leisurely down to the holding cell and watched as the guard unlocked the door for him. He knew Sydney wouldn't be able to see him until he was inside due to the shadows; the thought only excited him more. He wouldn't take away from anything that would scare her.  
  
He walked slowly into her cell and said, "Ah Ms. Bristow, I believe I fancy a chat with you."  
  
Author Notes:  
--Ok I think I'm getting the hang of this...I'll update later with longer chapters I'm kinda busy!  
  
--Hate it? Like it? Feel like you want to give a suggestion? Review for me and I'll be able to update much faster 


	3. Meeting

Sydney looked up and appeared to be somewhat shocked but then recovered by saying, "Mr. Sark, to what do I owe this pleasure?" rather coolly.  
  
Sark's own smirk increased as he saw a blemish within Sydney Bristow's composed manner.  
  
"Well Syd," he continued as she flinched due to his use of her nickname. He was fully aware that she used to hear it from Michael Vaughn, and he laughed at the fact that he was now married and would never speak that name romantically again. "I just thought we'd have a little chat"  
  
"In regards to what Sark?" Sydney questioned in her usual sarcastic tone.  
  
Sark smiled as her usual manner returned to her and smiled even more when he said, "About you Sydney, about your life now that you have come back from the 'dead'"  
  
Sydney inwardly flinched, but Sark saw it and jumped on it.  
  
"What? Not comfortable with that topic Syd? Well that is a shame, because I'm afraid my dear Sydney, that that is all I want to talk about." Sark's smirk widened to its greatest extent when he realized he now had the upper hand.  
  
"What the hell do you want Sark?" Sydney asked rather forcefully.  
  
"Sydney Sydney, I do think you're losing your touch," Sark replied almost bored, "isn't it obvious? Sydney, I want you."  
  
"Me?!" Sydney asked now beginning to look fairly frightened.  
  
Sark nodded and continued, "Sydney, quite simply before I release you, you will be a broken woman."  
  
Sark allowed his words to sink in before he said, "If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to, I will be back soon and we can chat a little more."  
  
With that Sark turned and left the cell, leaving a very openly scared Sydney in his wake.  
  
Sark returned back to his office to think. He had no true business to attend to; he simply wanted to plan how he was going to go about this.  
  
Sark knew his main plan of attack would revolve around Michael Vaughn: the fact that he was no longer hers and more importantly the fact that he wasn't going to come save her from him this time. He also knew that as much as Sydney was trying to hide the pain of losing Vaughn, it was crushing her, swallowing her slowly.  
  
He wanted to point out how she had lost her best friend, Francie. He wanted to point out that even when she was so sure Michael would be back in LA with open arms for her, he had been with Lauren Reed. He wanted to bring the anger that he knew she felt towards Lauren to the surface. He wanted to bring the pain back into her eyes.  
  
He was ready.  
  
O O O O O O O O Sydney O O O O O O  
  
She wasn't.  
  
Sydney had finally admitted it to herself: she was scared. She didn't know what Sark was planning but it couldn't be good, right?  
  
Her mind began to wander. No one even knew she was gone. No one was going to try to come after her anytime soon; she'd have to stick it out. She couldn't think about that though. She'd get through it. She'd gotten through her missing two years, hadn't she?  
  
When her cell door opened she was prepared to put back on the straight face. The mask she had so perfected over the years.  
  
O O O O O O Sark O O O O O O  
  
Sark walked into her cell again just as calmly as before. He noticed she had the same look as always, and it made him sick.  
  
"Sydney." He said with a slight nod.  
  
"Sark." She shot directly back, he knew she would, her reply seemed bitter.  
  
Sark sat down directly across from her, and took a moment to study her. He noted her tousled hair framing her somewhat annoyed expression and defiant eyes. He was amazed, that even in the worst conditions she still looked stunning.  
  
"Comfortable?" He questioned.  
  
"Always." She countered in her usual tone. She talked as if she was in control. She turned her head away from him, not giving him the satisfaction of eye-to-eye contact. She wouldn't give him the chance to upset her.  
  
He began softly, seeming almost compassionate, when he asked, "Do you miss him, Sydney?"  
  
Her head jerked back up and her eyes flew onto him burning his skin with her intense gaze.  
  
"Who?" she asked, it clearly evident that he had touched a nerve.  
  
"Michael Vaughn." He answered, as if they were simply talking about the weather or a good movie he had recently seen.  
  
"Sark, my life has nothing to do with you." She said in a tone in which each word make Sark's very heart twinge.  
  
He answered in his most threatening and yet calm voice when he said, "I believe it does Ms. Bristow, as you will soon see. So answer me, do you miss him? Do you miss Michael Vaughn? Do you miss what you had with him in the past?"  
  
She looked away and said nothing.  
  
"Look at me Sydney, or I will make you. You don't want me to do that, do you?"  
  
Sydney followed his gaze and met his eyes reluctantly.  
  
"Do you?" he inquired again, this time more firmly.  
  
"No." she said, the retort was meant to be convincing, but it had quite the opposite effect.  
  
"Now Sydney, you didn't say that with much conviction, did you? Answer me with honesty and I may be less, shall we say forceful. Now do you miss him?" He pestered her once again.  
  
She realized what she was going to have to do, but it didn't change the fact that she didn't want to.  
  
Recognizing the fact that Sydney would need some extra encouragement, Sark stood from his stool and approached her. He moved his hand to stroke her cheek. He smiled when she turned her face as far away from his caress as she could.  
  
He brought his face inches from hers before he said, "Sydney, don't make me get angry, you won't like it. It is a simple question, is it not?"  
  
In more of a whisper then anything she said, "I. ....bite me." (Sorry, lol I had to use it!) And with that the defiant look was back in place and he realized he would have to use further methods to persuade her to answer.  
  
Sark's fist swiftly descended and struck her cheek ruthlessly. On impact her head was thrown to the left and only stopped when it crashed into the head support of her chair.  
  
She looked back up at him with a cut below her right eye. He could tell it was already swelling. "Have an answer for me yet, Sydney?" he asked slightly out of breath from his outburst.  
  
"No." she said, though clenched teeth, it becoming obvious she wasn't going to offer him anything easily.  
  
In his anger his fist connected again, now with the left side of her face with such force she slumped in her chair and blood flowed freely from a new cut just along her cheekbone.  
  
"I'll be back." He said as he stormed out of the cell and briskly walked back to his office. 


	4. Breaking

Sark was angry. Angrier then he had been in a while. He had known Sydney would be reluctant to talk, but he never pictured her to refuse him the answer in a way such as this. He could play this way too though; he decided he would just get more violent with her. That should make her talk, right?  
  
Sydney  
  
Sydney awoke slowly. She could think of nothing but the exploding pain in her head for a few moments, remembering nothing of where or why she was there. Dawning began to strike her and she tested the restraints of the chair she had been tied to. No luck there, she thought as she realized Sark had probably taken into account her uncanny ability to escape most situations.  
  
For the first time she began to let herself think and it truly worried her. She had no one to help her out of this one. She'd have to do it solo, and she wasn't all that sure she could...  
  
Sark  
  
"Excuse me sir, Mr. Sark?" a guard had entered Sark's office; it seemed the same guard that had reluctantly informed him she had awoken.  
  
"Yes?" Sark countered seeming slightly annoyed.  
  
"It's not my place to say, but I believe you are being a bit rough on the girl. Sir..." he said weakly at first one word spilling out after the other. He seemed to swell in confidence as each word came from his mouth.  
  
It was barely audible when Sark said, "You are right in one fact: It is not your place to say, now leave my office." His words seemed more venomous then ever.  
  
Guard  
  
The guard stalked away from Sark's office as frustrated then ever as his phone began to ring. He ducked into a closet and answered it as quietly as possible.  
  
"Hello?" he questioned in more of a hiss  
  
"Have you talked with our friend Mr. Sark about my concerns?" the voice, clearly female, questioned.  
  
"I have Iri..." he began to say but was immediately cut off  
  
"Do not under any circumstance use my name over the phone anywhere near that organization..." she murmured.  
  
"Yes ma'am..." he said weakly  
  
"If my daughter is harmed anywhere close to severely under your watch, it will be your head, understood?" she said in clearly a more deadly voice then Sark had earlier.  
  
"Clear." He whispered quickly and hung up.  
  
He exited the closet hoping he hadn't been seen.  
  
Sark  
  
Sark strolled back towards the cell, back towards Sydney. This time he would go in strong. He would get the info he wanted, well needed, and use any tactic he saw as necessary.  
  
"Sydney, I will not be so lenient with you this time..." he said it in a tone meant to be menacing, but she just laughed.  
  
"I don't believe you are in the position to laugh Ms. Bristow..." he cut off as she continued to laugh. He had no idea why she was laughing, but it angered him.  
  
He struck out and caught her by the throat.  
  
"Listen to me, and listen good Sydney. I could kill you if I wanted to, and maybe I do want to. At any moment I could, so be aware. I'm in charge, you are most definitely not! If I feel the need or if I simply want to I can and will hurt you. Are we clear? I strongly suggest for your safety that you answer my questions!" he finished clearly angry as he released her throat.  
  
Sydney's head fell forward after she had been released. She choked for a moment struggling to take in air before she regained a normal breathing rate. She looked into his eyes and shook her head from side to side signaling she heard and understood what he said, but didn't give a damn.  
  
"Sydney, you are certainly not making this any easier for yourself or me. Do you enjoy being difficult? Or are you just trying to defy me, because Sydney, I assure you that will not work in the long run."  
  
Sydney shrugged as best she could in her current position and said, "Maybe it's a bit of both Sark."  
  
Sark furiously positioned himself directly behind her and proceeded to place his hand on her cheek again. Sydney made no effort to move, but instead leaned into his hand.  
  
"Sark, I do believe you are supposed to be torturing me, not coming onto me." And with these words in some odd way Sydney had the control back.  
  
She despised the very idea of his hand on her, but she could sure as hell fake that she didn't, and who was Sark to tell. He had never been good at reading her.  
  
"Sydney, I am growing impatient. Now tell me, do you miss Michael Vaughn?" he said it in a tone that Sydney was not used to hearing from him. It seemed anxious and nervous, as if he feared she would resist him and never answer. But the true colors of his tone only held for mere seconds, within a moment he had reversed back into his cool demeanor.  
  
"You can be honest with me Sydney..." his tone was encouraging, but she knew it was a false one.  
  
"What I want to know is why my romantic life has anything to do with you. Oh wait, could it be, Sark, because you don't have one? DO you feel excluded? Aww that's cute Julian," the way she said his first name unsettled Sark extremely. She used the voice she saved for talking to babies, and it offended Sark to now end.  
  
"Sark," she started again in her mocking tone, "do you feel the need to take refuge in my social life because you lack your own?"  
  
At this remark Sark grew furious. He came to the front of her his face inches from hers before he said," Michael Vaughn does not love you Sydney. He is at home with his wife completely oblivious to your location and situation!!" the last words were spat from his mouth in true distaste.  
  
"You see Sark," Sydney said quite calmly, "that's just not true." The nature in which she said it only proved to infuriate Sark all the more.  
  
"I trust Sydney that you know I am right, and are just choosing to ignore it. Shall I inform you of the truth? I think I will. Sydney, Agent Vaughn doesn't care for you anymore. It's quite possible he never did if he was able to move on so easily. I can also guarantee you he isn't looking for you. And Sydney ask yourself this: even if he knew you were gone, would he bother coming after you? My guess is the answer is no." He paused and allowed the words to sink in.  
  
But sink in they did not, Sydney attacked him just as quickly.  
  
"Sark, allow me to offer my condolences to you, I never really got a chance to apologize. When I was fighting who I had thought to be Francie, I had no idea that you were, shall we say, involved." She kept going as the anger in his face grew, "Is that why you are so interested in my life now Sark; because I ruined yours?"  
  
Sark continued more malevolently then before, pretending as if he heard nothing of what she had said, "Admit it Sydney, you were never good enough for Michael. He saved you countless times, risked his life for you even, and what did you do to return the favor? Not much Sydney, and obviously not nearly enough. Don't you think he deserves better?"  
  
He looked at her face, into her eyes. The defiance which he hated was still there and it grew as she said, "better? Ha how can there be anything better then me?"  
  
Sark was beyond furious. He had come to a stalemate and he was unsure of what to do next. Out of frustration he shot out at her, he hit any bit of her his fists could connect with. He had never been angrier and it was all because of her. He had wanted her for so damn long and the realization that she was unattainable pierced him like a bullet.  
  
All of the Sudden an emotion hit Sark hard. He wanted to cause her as much pain as he now felt.  
  
He took his knife from his pocket and flipped it open in a matter of seconds, with such skill only an assassin could have. He pressed it to her arm as he said, "Sydney, I really wanted to forge an alliance between us, but now I see it is impossible."  
  
"Sark, how long have you known me? I would never form so much as a friendship with you." The words came out in a hiss as she tried to hide the pain growing in her forearm from his blade.  
  
Sydney  
  
She could see her blood already dripping down her arm. The cut must be deeper then she had thought.  
  
She laughed silently to herself as she watched Sark in such a fit of frustration. The truth was that every point he had made terrified her. She had thought of them every night when she was in her apartment by herself as she had so often been now that Vaughn was married.  
  
She held onto the fact that she couldn't let Sark in on her emotions. If anything she would be her own downfall, she wouldn't let it be him.  
  
She had secretly known she was nowhere close to good enough for Vaughn. Reality had sunk in a long time ago. She had wasted so much of his time loving him. He could have found someone proper who would have actually measured up to him. Who had she been fooling? Had she been fooling Vaughn? She didn't want to think she had played him. She never meant to hurt him. She never meant to hurt him...  
  
Sydney began to feel the haze of unconsciousness floating across her eyes. She looked down to her forearm and saw a river of blood. She knew Sark was desperately trying to get her to cry out, but she wouldn't.  
  
The last view she saw before she succumbed to the sweet oblivion was Sark throwing his knife in frustration and storming out of her cell. She passed out with a smile on her face.  
  
She awoke 5 hours later as the guard stationed on the hall opened her cell door.  
  
"Sydney, we have to move..." the guard encouraged.  
  
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" she asked in seemingly desperate pleas.  
  
"It doesn't matter right now, we just need to go." He said urgently.  
  
He began the tiresome task of untying her many bindings.  
  
"Go where? Back to L.A.?" she inquired. She thought of Vaughn, and how maybe the better thing for her to do was to stay away from him. Sark would never know it, but she missed him so much. She was afraid that if she saw him again, she may burst. "I cant go back there," she whispered, "I cant hurt him anymore." If the first bit had been a whisper, the second had been inaudible.  
  
"Sydney, don't do this you need to go back. Mr. Sark's plans with regards to you will not get better, only worse." He was now pleading.  
  
"Well, even if they do," she started, "If I stay here, there's no way I can hurt him anymore."  
  
The guard had finished untying her and she fell immediately to the floor, the cut on her forearm obviously affecting her more then she would have liked.  
  
"You are leaving me no choice Ms. Bristow. I have to follow the orders of Irina Derevko." He whispered.  
  
"Irina? My mother?" she questioned loudly as she stood quickly.  
  
Afraid that her loud cry would alert Sark the guard aimed a tranq gun at her neck and mouthed a quick, "Sorry." as the dart punctured her neck.  
  
She fell quickly, the look of betrayal still on her face and her cry of pain still echoing in the small cell. 


	5. Finding

Vaughn  
  
Vaughn had gotten the call, the one he was always fearful of. Sydney had been compromised, her location and capturer unknown. It had come early in the morning from Dixon, telling both him and Lauren to come in early.  
  
The debrief was terrifying they were informed of how they had found Sydney's car off of the highway with what they assumed to be a bullet hole through the back windshield. The car had been totaled, but Sydney was no where to be seen. The C.I.A. then became suspicious.  
  
Vaughn could have sworn that Lauren was purposely acting as if she didn't care and it pissed him off to no end.  
  
Beneath the anxious worry that tore at Vaughn was a deeper one, more of a tearing within his heart. If Sydney really was in trouble then he might lose her again and this time she would never know how he felt.  
  
He had been such a jerk to her. Only now was that totally clear. He had blown it  
  
Sark  
  
Sark thought he heard a scream, and it sounded an awful lot like Sydney.  
  
He didn't give it a second thought before he ran down towards her holding cell. He arrived to see the guard holding a tranq gun and staring down at Sydney now sprawled on the floor, out of all set restraints.  
  
"Guard, what happened here?"  
  
Guard  
  
Shit. He had been compromised, for now.  
  
After some quick thinking on his part he responded with, "Oh Mr. Sark I'm glad you're here. I went in to give her the water as you ordered, but she had managed to escape somehow. I just got the tranq dart into her neck before she lunged at me and fell."  
  
"I see." Sark somehow went from upset back to his cool demeanor in the course of two words. The guard hated it.  
  
"Alright then guard, I see if she got through those restraints we will need something stronger, don't you think?" he posed the question even though he had obviously made up his mind on the answer.  
  
"Certainly Mr. Sark." He answered bothered and worried by what Julian may have up his sleeve this time.  
  
Sark briskly walked down the hall towards a storage closet. When he walked back his step was accompanied with a metal clunk. The guard feared for the worst.  
  
"I believe these shall do," said Sark dropping a series of chains to the cell floor with a clattering bang. "Go ahead and tie her to the far wall for me, the hooks are there already."  
  
"Yes sir." He said it confidently, but he was terrified to have to do it at all.  
  
Sark stalked off in his usual manner claiming that he would be back in 30 minutes to check and approve of his job.  
  
The guard cursed all known deities as he made his way to Sydney's limp form.  
  
He lifted her gently, rather then drag her to the wall. He figured he'd save any harm to Sark. He was amazed at how light she was. He had known she had been upset, but it was only then that he had recognized how malnourished she seemed.  
  
He rested her lightly against the wall as he sorted the chains. He desperately wanted to chain her quickly before she woke up and realized he was the one that had to hurt her more.  
  
After he chained her, he looked at his work. She still looked so peaceful while she was asleep. Her arms were spread wide to the opposing hooks and it looked painful. The guard had tried to keep them loose to save Sydney any extra pain, but he was sure he could only lessen it, not eliminate it fully, unfortunately.  
  
She was beginning to wake. Her head lolled from the center to the right side and she groaned lightly. The guard locked the door and slipped out back to his post.  
  
Sydney  
  
She had never felt such a dull pain in her head. It throbbed when she moved and when she didn't move. It was worse then any hangover she had given herself this year after one of her many alcohol-filled-nights arranged to try to forget Vaughn.  
  
Oh god. She didn't want to think about him anymore.  
  
She opened her eyes slowly expecting to be lying in bed in some odd angle. Wow was she shocked to discover she was in a cell. It all began to flood back to her: her wreck, the capture, Sark, the guard. But the guard had said she was leaving, had he lied?  
  
She pulled roughly at her bindings again frustrated with how tight they were. She would have to play Sark's little waiting game for now.  
  
But her wait was not long. Sark was back in the cell as he had promised in a matter of only 10 short minutes to Sydney's disaccord.  
  
"Ah Sark, hello again, come back for another go at me?" she asked, sounding almost bored.  
  
"Not quite Sydney, I'm back for this." He said roughly as he walked towards her.  
  
After saying so he claimed her lips ruthlessly biting her, hoping to gain entrance to her mouth.  
  
Sydney didn't know how to react, she was stunned. If she hadn't been chained she was almost positive her knees would have failed her.  
  
Sark  
  
Surprising her like this was all Sark had needed to do. Her jaw practically dropped allowing him unguarded entry into her mouth. He probed lightly taking in her scent and her feel, delving into what he had wanted for so long, until all too suddenly it ended abruptly.  
  
She bit down onto his tongue forcefully causing him to cry out and withdraw from her mouth. He swiftly backhanded her enjoying her confused look.  
  
It was a look of shock, what looked like pain, and certain confusion. She had been shaken up now, and he knew it.  
  
"..Sark what the hell was that?" she asked more forcefully then necessary, her eyes blazing, her gaze shooting fire.  
  
Sark backed up slightly while saying, "You see Sydney, I've wanted you for a long time, too damn long, and now that I have you I cant control myself..."  
  
Sydney was now frightened of this new aspect, but again she hid it well enough to fool him.  
  
Sark approached her and ran the tip of his finger up her bare arm towards her t-shirt sleeve. Sydney involuntarily shuddered, Sark drank it in.  
  
He looked into her fiery eyes with his own icy blue ones, but what he saw he did not like. It wasn't the fire; he had grown accustomed to that, it was the disgust in which she now looked at him with.  
  
"I suppose then," he began deliberately slowly as he traced her jaw and moved to push her hair behind he ear, "that you really do still love him. What a pity. I could show you so much more Syd..."  
  
She said nothing to him, just glared and turned away.  
  
Sark left her with few parting words, but they were strong and hit her firmly in the heart, "It's a pity Sydney, a true pity, that the one and only man you love will never be able to say he loves you too."  
  
Sydney turned her head as a silent tear escaped her eye. There was no need though, for Sark was already pacing hurriedly back to his office.  
  
Sark  
  
Sark thought to himself as he walked. Obviously he would have to let her go now, there was no chance in hell she could ever love anyone else, especially him. He almost felt sorry for her, almost.  
  
When he reached his office he called in the same guard.  
  
"Guard please escort Ms. Bristow off of my premises and back to L.A." he said seeming rather annoyed, "she will no longer be of much use here."  
  
"Yes Sir." The guard returned curtly.  
  
Guard  
  
He walked briskly back to Sydney's cell thinking of how much easier this made his job.  
  
He opened the door to see Sydney, with her head down, nearly sobbing. It wasn't as outward as most would consider "sobbing", but her small frame was being racked by her silent tears.  
  
Maybe his job wasn't going to be easier...  
  
Sydney  
  
All of the sudden the words had hit her. They had knocked the air right out of her lungs. He would never say "I love you" again. She hadn't thought about that. Was her love hopeless? Pointless even?  
  
Everything came flooding back now: the embraces she would come across between him and Lauren, the cold band of betrayal that laced his beautiful hand, how they could no longer look at each other, how she had watched him spread her ashes, but most importantly how he had moved on and supposedly didn't regret it.  
  
She didn't want to move. She wanted to just stay in her cell and let Sark hurt her even more then he had. It had all occurred to her, but never all at the same time and so forcefully as this had hit her.  
  
"Sydney?" the guard asked gently.  
  
She looked up with red puffy eyes and her lip still trembling as she said, "what?" very weakly.  
  
"I...I have orders to release you straight from Mr. Sark." He said quickly.  
  
"Wha? Now he just wants to let me go? What the hell?" she asked seeming angry  
  
"I don't question his choices Ms. Bristow, only follow his orders. Now please allow me to lead you away from here." The second sentence was said in a pleading voice.  
  
"Okay..." she said in a mere whisper. Even her words seemed broken now.  
  
The guard quickly unchained her and practically carried her out of the compound to the small airfield and to the awaiting plane which would take her back to L.A. 


	6. Returning

When Sydney walked back into the rotunda a mere 3 hours later she looked like hell. Her eyes were both swollen, the cut along her cheekbone had proven to be quite deep, she had cuts along her wrists and arms from the chains, and her whole body was sore.  
  
She hadn't wanted to go home to an empty house for to long, so she got a shower changed her clothes and arrived back to the office. All she wanted to do was to go and work until she couldn't think. Drown herself in paperwork, better then alcohol, right?  
  
She certainly turned heads when she walked in, especially those of her father, Vaughn, Weiss, and Dixon.  
  
Dixon had approached her and welcomed her back, but after realizing she was in no mood to talk about it, he left quickly.  
  
Her father lingered a little longer then Sydney would have liked, but the fatherly hug he administered before he left was greatly appreciated.  
  
Weiss immediately trotted over and commenced to hug her and say= how much she had scared him. He left with the encouraging parting words, "Anytime you wanna you know, get drunk, and talk I'm ready." She laughed appreciatively.  
  
Vaughn  
  
Vaughn had been in the middle of writing up a report when she walked in. He followed her with his eyes across the rotunda being approached by Dixon, then her father, and finally Weiss.  
  
The report suddenly forgotten he took in her injuries, mentally calculating how much pain she was in. He had grown used to doing that when she would return from missions, it's not like she would ever admit to being in pain.  
  
She looked pretty beat up. Her eyes were definitely inflamed, the right one almost shut, the left side had a pretty nasty cut along the cheekbone; both were probably a result of someone's fist connecting with her face.  
  
He was so sick of seeing her in all of this pain. It was like it surrounded her, but constantly. Some of it like today was merely physical, but the majority of it was mental. When it was mental it was always much easier for her to hide sadly, and she hid it well. He knew the majority of the mental pain she felt was in part his fault and it ate at him some nights.  
  
He was just about to get up and approach her when Lauren walked over. Sydney glanced towards his desk at the exact moment and was met with the site of Lauren's hand along his cheek. She looked away quickly, but not before Michael had seen her looking. He cursed his bad timing; Lauren's bad timing, and began to wonder if Lauren had come to him when Sydney had just gotten back on purpose.  
  
Fuck. Now when was he going to talk with her?  
  
Sydney  
  
The idea of going back to the office had been a good one until she had seen Vaughn with Lauren practically allover him. She turned back towards Weiss and talked briefly before saying she was going to call it a day.  
  
Her dad approached her and said he would drive her home, she agreed reluctantly too tired to argue.  
  
They rode back mostly in silence. He knew she didn't want to talk, so he didn't ask.  
  
When they reached her new apartment he leaned over and asked, "Are you ok? Not hurt too bad right?" in a quiet voice.  
  
"Yeah," she replied, "just some scratches, dad. Nothing I'm not used to."  
  
He smiled before he said, "I know Syd, I know. I love you."  
  
Her smile back was just as genuine when she said, "You too dad."  
  
And with that she was out of the car walking to her door.  
  
After she had fixed a bowl of cereal and plopped onto the couch was when she started reflecting on what had happened: on how right Sark was and how pitiful it was that she was still in love with a married man. She didn't understand how to move on like Vaughn apparently did. He had moved on, with "no regrets" as he had so eloquently put it.  
  
As much as she thought about it, there was just no way she could move on, no fucking way. So she was stuck worshipping someone she could never have and it hurt.  
  
The more she thought about it the angrier she grew, towards Vaughn. He had caused all of this, hadn't he? It had been he who had moved on and gotten himself married to that bitch Lauren...  
  
She had been so deep in thought she hadn't heard the phone ringing until now. She swiftly picked it up and answered. "Hello?"  
  
The voice on the other line faltered slightly but then followed with, "Joey's Pizza?" with his usual deep and concerned voice.  
  
Sydney had had it. She was angry and she didn't want Vaughn or his pity at the moment.  
  
Her voice was full of anger when she answered, "You have the wrong fucking number! Just please stop calling me," she had gone into tears now slightly hysterical as she finished with, "...just stop calling..."  
  
She hung up the phone softly; painfully aware of the fact that she was now going to have to meet the one person she couldn't look in the eye.  
  
She allowed herself 20 minutes to release all of her emotion. She cried, and cried hard, sobbing into the couch pillows, not caring that they weren't waterproof. She gathered herself in the bathroom trying to remove all evidence of tears. She didn't want him to know she had been crying. She didn't think she could stand the irony of him trying to comfort her.  
  
She slipped into some running shorts and a t-shirt, finishing the look with sneakers. She walked to the end of her driveway and commenced to run to the warehouse.  
  
Vaughn  
  
He had waited for 20 minutes now and he was growing anxious. He wanted to see her, make sure she was ok; something told him he needed to see her.  
  
It was only a moment later that he heard and recognized her soft gate. She had obviously chosen to run. He knew her well enough to know that usually meant there was something on her mind.  
  
She rounded the corner and slowed to a walk as she entered the warehouse. He looked up and noticed her tearstained cheeks; he also noticed how she had tried to cover them up.  
  
He walked towards her and said, "Sydney..."  
  
She countered just as easily with, "Don't Vaughn, please."  
  
He took a step back knowing this would be more difficult then he had thought. 


	7. Hurting

Sorry about not updating this in a while...I've been kinda busy! As always I own nothing....R/R please!!  
  
Vaughn  
  
Vaughn sat on one of the many crates and motioned for Sydney to join him. She didn't but instead sat across from him, not trusting herself to be that close.  
  
"Sydney," he started gently, "talk to me about this, please?" he finished in more of a plea.  
  
"Vaughn, I..." She looked down as she said it not wanting to meet his eyes; the same eyes that could read her so easily, the same deep emerald green eyes that could dive into her own chocolate ones and break her mask.  
  
"Syd, talk to me. Did he hurt you?" he seemed scared to even receive an answer to his question. He knew her physical injuries to a degree but knew nothing of the mental damage he had inflicted.  
  
She closed her eyes tightly, but nodded slightly.  
  
"Sydney please, talk to me..." he was practically begging now, pleading for her to open up to him.  
  
He knew she liked to keep her feelings locked away; that she had always felt like it was a burden to bother others with them. He had only just begun to show her how much it wasn't before she had disappeared, only just begun to truly know her. He knew she would probably never open up to him now, not after he had caused her so much pain, but he could try.  
  
"Sydney ple.." he started but was interrupted just as he had begun.  
  
Sydney stood and looked at him now on the verge of tears before she said, "I never should have come here Vaughn," suddenly her tears overwhelmed her before she continued; "I can't stand to be here anymore Vaughn. I can't stand to see you like you are. I need to leave this behind" and with that she turned from him her sobs echoing and growing within the warehouse.  
  
She walked towards the gate slowly, but suddenly her tears overtook her and she stumbled to the floor. Vaughn ran towards her, but she had already gotten to her feet.  
  
She underestimated her state and fell forward again, but this time Vaughn caught her and eased her to the ground.  
  
She looked away from him as his arms closed around her. She looked at the floor, the wall, anywhere but his face, his haunting eyes.  
  
He took her face in his hand and turned it towards him. He looked into her eyes and saw the hurt and pain within them. He immediately found the love he had had for her so long ago burning back within him. He held her tightly to him letting her cry into his shoulder, letting her rid herself of the demons she was fighting. He knew she would talk afterwards so he waited. All he wanted to do was to protect her from the pain in her life.  
  
Sydney  
  
Sydney hadn't wanted to, but she didn't know what else to do she melted into his embrace like old times and released everything: he anger, her pain, and her feelings all in the form of tears. She didn't know how long she had cried, it could have been hours or days for all she knew. All that was holding her to reality was Vaughn. He hadn't let go of her since she had started and she could tell he never would.  
  
Her sobs slowly began to cease and she pulled away from him gently.  
  
She looked deep into his eyes no longer afraid of him seeing her for what she felt and who she was.  
  
"Vaughn," she started, "I'm so sorry for that." She said quickly  
  
She was cut off abruptly, "Shhh Syd, it's ok, don't be. I know you needed to get it out. Now will you talk to me about what it is that caused all of that?" he asked just as gently and reassuringly.  
  
He looked at her and studied her tearstained cheeks and puffy red eyes as she nodded slowly.  
  
Vaughn  
  
He knew this wouldn't be the best place for a discussion of this sort. He wanted Sydney to be comfortable, and being in a place that reminded her of the past and him was not a good start.  
  
He picked her up easily and carried her towards his car. She said nothing as he placed her in the passenger side and moved towards the driver's seat.  
  
"Sydney I'm going to drive us back to your apartment so we can talk, I think we'll be more comfortable there.  
  
They rode in silence with Sydney choking back an occasional sob or two along the way. Vaughn moved one hand to rest on her back tracing circles to try and soothe her as he continued along the road.  
  
He hadn't really been to Sydney's new apartment, but he knew how to get there. He had sat up so many nights very close to getting into his car and driving over there. He had planned the shortest route, the longest, and had even driven by it multiple times just so he could feel close to her.  
  
He pulled into her driveway and got out. He checked for anything seeming out of the ordinary or somewhat suspicious, but found nothing. He opened the passenger door and let her fall into his arms again. He couldn't help but revel in how right holding her seemed.  
  
He walked to the door and opened it gently closing and locking it behind him before he drank in her new apartment. It resembled her in every way. The walls were an even mix of light and dark paint seeming mysterious and somewhat guarded. He placed her gently onto the couch in what he assumed was her living room and sat down beside her.  
  
"Sydney, talk to me." he said knowing it would be the beginning of a long conversation and night. 


	8. Letting Go

Sorry about not updating this if you're still reading....i've been out of town and just got back!  
  
Into his arms (Chapter 8): Letting Go  
  
Sydney looked up and directly into his eyes. She didn't fear their analytical depths anymore, but cherished them.  
  
He used the same calm voice and asked again ever so gently, "Sydney, tell me what happened, please?"  
  
She nodded and slowly with a wavering voice began to talk.  
  
"I don't know exactly what happened at first. I wa..I was driving home, and I was distracted so I guess I wasn't aware someone was tailing me. I was so stupid."  
  
He countered her quickly, "That's not stupid Syd, you couldn't have known. Why were you distracted?"  
  
She looked away before answering staring intently at the floor not wanting to meet his gaze, "I was thinking...of you..."  
  
Once he heard this his heart began to pound, and somehow he now felt responsible for all of her pain.  
  
"Syd, why were you thinking about me?" he inquired tenderly  
  
"I, I was thinking about what used to be. Vaughn I know it sounds pathetic, but that's all I've been doing since I've come back. I go home at night and all I try to do is convince myself I'm two years in the past, not where we are today." She choked out not daring to look in his direction.  
  
With this confession his heart nearly burst. Knowing that he caused her pain killed him, and all he wanted to do was to fix it. So he was going to try his best to do that, but not right now.  
  
"Then what happened, Syd?" he asked as gently as ever.  
  
"I don't know much after that. I know a bullet came through my back windshield, and then I think I swerved. Then I think I started spinning but that's all I remember from that point." she answered shyly.  
  
Vaughn nodded before he continued, "And what happened when you woke up?"  
  
He noticed she began to look pained even as he asked her this, but she answered quickly.  
  
"When I woke up I was tied to a chair in a cell. It wasn't big I could tell that much, and it was pretty dark. I heard someone coming, but was unsure of whom it was. And then he walked in with that same smug looking smirk." She finished now clearly in distaste.  
  
"Sark?" he interjected slowly.  
  
She nodded clearly in some pain.  
  
"He said he wanted to talk with me, but all he wanted to talk about was me. About my life since I've been back from my missing time. He could tell it unnerved me I guess, and then he left I don't remember for how long. But he came back and he kept asking me the same question Vaughn. It was tearing me up inside. I tried so hard to not let him see it, I really did." She again looked as far from him as she could as she finished.  
  
He turned her to face him and although he was afraid to ask, he did anyway, "What was he asking Sydney?"  
  
Her eyes flashed with tears and she answered in the softest voice he had heard her use, "He kept asking if I missed you, if I missed what we used to have. And I wouldn't answer him so he hit me twice I think. And it hurt so much I passed out again," she looked away before she said, "I feel so weak, I'm sorry."  
  
He swallowed the lump growing in his throat and said, "Sydney don't apologize to me. You are the strongest person I know. Do you want to keep going? We can stop if you want."  
  
She shook her head and said, "No I want to get this out now all at once..."  
  
He leaned forward and gripped her hand within his, "Okay Sydney, we'll go at your pace. If you want to stop we can, just let me know." She nodded so he continued, "What happened next?"  
  
"I, he came back. I tried to mock him, to put up a guard, but he stifled me by choking me a little. He kept saying he could kill me if he wanted to, that he would hurt me if he chose to do so."  
  
Vaughn traced soothing circles on the back of her hand as he looked at her; she really was the strongest person he knew.  
  
Sydney shuddered in disgust as she continued, "Then, Vaughn he, told me that you had no idea I was gone. That even if you did you wouldn't care, and god I believed it. I kept trying to argue and downplay what he was saying, but he was right. You had always deserved better then me, and who had I been to hold you back?"  
  
"Syd.." he started before he was cut off.  
  
"Vaughn let me just get this all out now, please?" she pleaded.  
  
He nodded and she continued, "I don't know what came over him, but he got mad, really mad. He took out some knife and placed it on my forearm. He said something about wanting to form a friendship, but that he now saw it as a lost cause. He then pushed the blade into me, Vaughn it hurt so much, but I could tell he wanted me to cry out so I didn't. I needed that victory for my sanity. There was so much blood and all I could think about was you, how I had failed you. And then I passed out again, I was so weak"  
  
She cut him off with a look before he even could start his argument.  
  
"I don't really know if what happened next was an illusion or what. Some guard came in and untied me. He said he had orders from my mother to move me but I was saying I didn't want to come back and hurt you anymore. And then somehow he shot me with a tranq dart I think, and I was out cold again." She finished sounding just as confused as he now felt.  
  
He was barely keeping up with what she was saying, but he feared the worst was yet to come.  
  
"And I woke up and I was tied to the wall, the chains more restricting then ever. And all of the sudden Sark was back," she turned away yet again scared to explain to Vaughn what had then happened.  
  
"Sydney?" he questioned softly.  
  
"I, Vaughn he came across the room after I had asked him what he came for and said 'this'. Then he kissed me Vaughn. He did it roughly, and I was scared that he wasn't going to stop with that. I bit his tongue that he had forced into my mouth and he backed up. I asked him what it was about and I remember so clearly what he said. He said he had wanted me for so long that now that he had me he couldn't control himself."  
  
Vaughn felt the anger rising within him. All he wanted to do now was to cause Sark pain for violating Sydney like he had, but he had to focus on Sydney first.  
  
"He...He didn't do anything else, did he?" the question came out weakly as if he was afraid to hear the answer.  
  
"Not what you are thinking, Vaughn," she said noticing he seemed worried, "he ran his hand up my arm, tried to caress my face. He wanted reactions, even involuntary ones. But all of the sudden he changed. He..He said he guessed it was true that I still loved you..and that he could show me more,"  
  
She choked out a small sob before she finished, "Vaughn, before he left, he said it was a pity.." she was openly crying again and Vaughn felt the need to guide her back to the topic at hand. "What was a pity Syd?" he asked her  
  
"He said...that it was a pity that the man I loved would never be able to say he loved me too." With that Sydney was sobbing again pushing herself into the pillow.  
  
Vaughn's heart finally did burst for the woman he knew that he truly still did love.  
  
He knew he had to do something before it was to late.... 


End file.
